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Aotearoa New Zealand's emerging New Space economy provides an opportunity for key actors to focus on space and sustainability issues beyond space debris. The conflict between competing definitions and paradigms of sustainability highlights the importance of diverse values, assumptions, and drivers of change that shape the normative understanding of space sustainability issues. This paper recognises that Indigenous knowledges and practices are in parallel with systems-thinking and transdisciplinary approaches to space and sustainability. The aim of this paper is to describe how current actions can have long term impacts on using and accessing space commercially, scientifically, and culturally. • Space sustainability requires a transdisciplinary approach to explore the definitions and values at various scales. • Space sustainability in New Zealand involves addressing issues beyond space debris. • Space sustainability requires addressing businesses in New Zealand, where sustainability frameworks are poorly implemented. • Space sustainability requires policy interventions beyond compliance with environmental legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal ecosystems are complex and often support a broad spectrum of functions with competing objectives. In addition to their ecological value, they offer socio-economic benefits (i.e., ecosystem services) to coastal communities. One potential way to help address this complexity is to use decision support systems to help natural resources managers understand system dynamics and evaluate strategies to maintain the health and integrity of these ecosystems. This paper presents a roadmap and detailed application of co-production strategies where managers and researchers are fully engaged in a collaborative manner in the design of a decision support tool for coastal ecosystems. It also emphasizes the importance of capturing end-users' (i.e., natural resource managers) priorities to refine the conceptual design of the decision support tool, while maintaining a sound scientific and modeling framework. The case study presented here centers on the Northern Gulf of Mexico, but the concept can be exported globally to other systems. This effort highlights foundational co-production strategies, including transdisciplinary team assembly, a knowledge sharing workshop, Toolbox Dialogue Initiative workshops to facilitate working across disciplines, core team and focus group meetings, and design charrettes. Further, this paper articulates the benefits and difficulties of executing a co-production process through virtual collaborations. • Coastal ecosystem management by co-productive, interdisciplinary design methods. • Co-production design strategies for decision support systems. • Northern Gulf of Mexico natural resource management decision support tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change impacts vary depending on social and biophysical vulnerabilities, and the ability of society to respond, resist, or adapt to change/stress (i.e. adaptive capacity). In the field of climate science, funding for applied and engaged research is growing rapidly. Variously termed 'knowledge co-production,' 'collaborative,' 'convergent,' or 'transdisciplinary' research is hoped to improve outcomes in complex and dynamic social-ecological systems. Collaborative processes like knowledge co-production (KCP) may enhance adaptive capacity by facilitating social learning and engaging diverse worldviews. However, to date there is limited evaluation connecting processes of KCP to indicators of adaptive capacity. We use an interdisciplinary research approach to determine measurable dimensions of adaptive capacity and iterate between adaptive capacity and KCP literatures to expand the dimensions to more effectively encompass processes, outcomes, and associations. We also identify a gap related to identity and relationality and include this as a new dimension of adaptive capacity. Lastly, we present a new framework to evaluate the efficacy of engaged research, aimed at enhancing the adaptive capacity of individuals and groups, we call it the Wheel. We also share how the Wheel can be tailored to various contexts and makes strides to weave in power and different ways of knowing, although there is room to expand consideration of these elements. [Display omitted] • Through interdisciplinary research, we developed a framework to evaluate if knowledge co-production builds adaptive capacity. • We incorporated "identity and relationality" as an adaptive capacity dimension to better reflect diverse knowledge systems. • We addressed the tensions between the framework's transferability and context-adaptability, highlighting the need to address power dynamics. • Our framework can be tailored and operationalized to specific contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the multifaceted and diverse challenges that refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers experience when entering a new country, they remain notably underrepresented in the evaluation and understanding of the health and wellbeing impacts of outdoor health interventions. We addressed this knowledge gap by a mixed-methods evaluation (questionnaires, focus groups and photo elicitation activity) facilitated by a community researcher. Qualitative data (focus groups and photo elicitation activity) revealed that the participants saw the social component of outdoor activities as a critical factor in improving their wellbeing, an insight not captured by established quantitative wellbeing scales. Given the diverse backgrounds of refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeker populations, we underline the importance of a transdisciplinary, collaborative, and mixed-methods research approach. • Outdoor health interventions aid refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers' wellbeing. • Activities foster social bonds, place attachment, and a sense of belonging. • Mixed-methods evaluation approaches can enhance understanding of outdoor health interventions and associated impacts. • Transdisciplinary collaboration is key for assessing the wellbeing of these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several decades of research across disciplines have overturned historical perspectives of symbioses dominated by binary characterizations of highly specific species–species interactions. This paradigm shift has unlocked the previously underappreciated and overlooked dynamism of fungal mutualisms such as mycorrhizae. Lichens are another example of important fungal mutualisms where reconceptualization is urgently needed to realize their potential as model systems. This reconceptualization requires both an objective synthesis of new data and envisioning a revised integrative approach that unifies the spectrum of ecology and evolution. We propose a ten-theme framework that if pursued would propel lichens to the vanguard of symbiotic theory. Partner flexibility is increasingly recognized as integral to successful mutualistic symbioses. Fungi are some of the most diverse, impactful, and widespread mutualistic symbionts. Growing evidence from lichen genomics, biochemistry, evolution, and ecology are challenging long-held perspectives on these key groups of mutualists. We draw on this new research to present a framework for reconceptualizing lichens and propose lichen symbioses as ideal model systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing complex environmental and health questions requires research collaborations. Such collaborations harness diverse expertise and perspectives from various researchers, practitioners, stakeholders, and knowledge-users to ground and enhance the depth and breadth of research and promote translational efforts towards policymaking. There is growing interest and need to understand what shapes these partnerships. Thus, our objective was to empirically identify the essential components of a collaborative research process. This qualitative case study followed a complex interdisciplinary research project over five years of operation. The project utilized an Integrated Knowledge Translation approach (IKT), a research partnership between researchers and knowledge-users. Data were generated through experiential interview/focus groups, surveys, and participant observation analyzed using inductive thematic analysis procedures. We identified eight essential components. The partnership evolved by building relationships , advancing individual growth , and building team capacity. These require the alignment of progress, knowledge, and expectations, establishing trust in each other, procedures, and outcomes, and developing shared ownership. Furthermore, operative elements and individual attitudes fostered the collaborative climate evolution. All components contributed directly and indirectly through complex interactions to shaping and maintaining the collaborative process and ultimately to growth, performance, co-production, and translational initiatives. At different times, the attainment or absence of these components facilitated or hindered the project's progression. This study provides an empiric in-depth description of the evolution of individual and collaborative team processes in which interdisciplinarity and IKT fostered co-production and knowledge translation. The evidence can serve as focal points to guide future planning and operation of research partnerships in different contexts. [Display omitted] • A qualitative case study exploring team processes in collaborative research. • Eight components were essential for a successful research collaboration process. • The components included dynamic team processes and enabling conditions. • All components jointly evolved to reach optimal performance and productivity. • Our empiric findings could serve as focal points for other research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nursing and engineering are unique disciplines, each with a unique body of knowledge. • The combination of nursing plus engineering represents a new, convergent discipline. • The nurse+engineer operates at the bedside and in the community to solve vexing societal challenges including environmental and social determinants of health. • The nurse+engineer is a prototype V-shaped professional. • The emergence of the nurse+engineer should help attract additional resources for workforce development. Descriptions of convergence research include promises to solve complex societal problems, such as environmental determinants of health and social determinants of health, through the integration of diverse disciplines, such as nursing and engineering, to create novel frameworks, such as the V-shaped professional. The purpose of this paper was to define the nurse+engineer as a prototypical V-shaped professional. Starting from a description of the I-shaped discipline of nursing and the I-shaped discipline of engineering, we follow an intentional pathway to define the concept of the nurse+engineer as a new V-shaped professional. Examples of the nurse+engineer at the bedside and the nurse+engineer in the community are highlighted to support a theoretical definition of the V-shaped nurse+engineer. Implications of the nurse+engineer in the workforce and practical recommendations for training nurse+engineer professionals are provided to improve healthcare policy, practice, research, and education through scientific discovery and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unhealthy eating is a major modifiable risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and obesity, and remote acculturation to U.S. culture is a recently identified cultural determinant of unhealthy eating among adolescents and families in low/middle-income countries. This small-scale randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of the "JUS Media? Programme," a food-focused media literacy intervention promoting healthier eating among remotely acculturating adolescents and mothers in Jamaica. Gender-stratified randomization of 184 eligible early adolescents and mothers in Kingston, Jamaica (i.e., 92 dyads: M adolescent.age = 12.79 years, 51% girls) determined 31 "Workshops-Only" dyads, 30 "Workshops + SMS/texting" dyads, and 31 "No-Intervention-Control" dyads. Nutrition knowledge (food group knowledge), nutrition attitudes (stage of nutritional change), and nutrition behavior (24-hour recall) were primary outcomes assessed at four time points (T1/baseline, T2, T3, T4) across 5 months using repeated measures analysis of covariances. Compared to control, families in one or both intervention groups demonstrated significantly higher nutrition knowledge (T3 adolescents, T4 mothers: mean differences.79–1.08 on a 0–6 scale, 95% confidence interval [CI].12–1.95, Cohen's d s =.438–.630); were more prepared to eat fruit daily (T3 adolescents and mothers:.36–.41 on a 1–5 scale, 95% CI.02–.77, d s =.431–.493); and were eating more cooked vegetables (T4 adolescents and T2 and T4 mothers:.20–.26 on a 0–1 scale, 95% CI -.03–.50, d s =.406-.607). Postintervention focus groups (6-month-delay) revealed major positive impacts on participants' health and lives more broadly. A food-focused media literacy intervention for remotely acculturating adolescents and mothers can improve nutrition. Replication in Jamaica and extension to the Jamaican diaspora would be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In diesem 2. Teil wird das Thema Forschung im Rahmen der Osteopathie besprochen. Die Grundmotivation für Forschung ist neben anderen Motiven häufig eine „innere Frage". Historische Forschung über den Begründer der Osteopathie A.T. Still bildet die Grundlage für die notwendige Definition der Osteopathie. Dabei gilt es, das osteopathische Welt- und Menschenbild ebenso zu klären wie das eigene Verständnis für Krankheit, Heilung und Gesundheit. Zur Klärung offener Fragen können im transdisziplinären Setting verschiedenste Disziplinen beitragen. Ein besonderes Augenmerk möge dabei immer auf der osteopathischen Philosophie liegen. Die Eignung üblicher quantitativer Forschungsmethoden gilt es kritisch zu evaluieren und ggf. anzupassen. Unter anderem bedarf es wahrscheinlich einer Ergänzung mit qualitativen Methoden im Rahmen eines Mixed-Methods-Designs. Die qualitative Forschung hingegen erscheint als eine besonders geeignete Methode, durch die das umfangreiche Begreifen der Osteopathie und des Individuums möglich sein könnte. Unter anderem zeigt das „Unbekannte und Unerkennbare des Menschseins" den Bedarf neuer Messmethoden auf, die es für die Osteopathie zu entwickeln gilt. In this second part, the topic of research in the context of osteopathy is being discussed. The basic motivation for research, among other motives, is often an "inner question". Historical research about the founder of osteopathy A.T. Still forms the basis for the needed definition of osteopathy. Thus, it is necessary to clarify the osteopathic view of the world and the human being as well as the own understanding of illness, healing and health. A wide variety of disciplines can contribute to the clarification of open questions in a transdisciplinary setting. Special attention should always be paid to the osteopathic philosophy. The suitability of usual quantitative research methods should be critically evaluated and adapted if necessary. Among others, a complementation with qualitative methods in the context of a mixed-methods design is probably necessary. Qualitative research, on the other hand, seems to be a particularly suitable method by way of which the comprehensive understanding of osteopathy and the individual might be possible. Moreover the "unknown and unknowable of being human" points to the need for new methods of measurement to be developed for osteopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Application of a participatory social science approach in a nexus case study. • Insights in stakeholders' perceptions on nexusrelationships and measures. • Aggregated cognitive map illustrates perceived synergies and trade-offs. • Stakeholders propose a combination of market-based, technical and legal measures. • Dialogue and coordination supports collective implementation of measures. Multiple societal challenges such as climate change, water pollution and biodiversity loss require coordinated measures. Thereby the adoption of a nexus perspective is expedient. It acknowledges relationships between natural and social entities, and takes synergies and trade-offs of planned and implemented measures into account. We adopt a nexus perspective to elicit sectoral stakeholders' perceptions on the relationships of the regional nexus entities, relevant measures and their perceived synergies and trade-offs in the semi-arid agricultural production region Seewinkel in East Austria. In a multi-step cognitive mapping approach, consisting of a workshop and semi-structured interviews, we developed an aggregated cognitive map with perceptions of stakeholders from agriculture, water management, nature conservation, tourism, the civil society, renewable energy and hunting. Workshop and interview transcripts were analyzed by means of a qualitative content analysis. Stakeholders agree on the priority of a good quantitative and chemical status of the regional groundwater body and a location-adapted agricultural production. They propose a combination of market-based, legal and technical measures supported by cross-sectoral institutions in responding to regional nexus challenges. Stakeholders perceive divergent synergies and trade-offs. Perceived synergies may provide opportunities, which have not yet been considered for planning of measures. Perceived trade-offs require further examination and cross-sectoral discussion to encourage the implementation of measures. The aggregated cognitive map may improve stakeholders' understanding for nexus relationships and facilitate social learning through viewing the interlinked nexus from distance and different perspectives. This may facilitate cross-sectoral dialogue and enable collective decision making to tackle regional nexus challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nature's contributions to adaptation (NCA) are critical to achieve stakeholders' desired adaptation. • Unlike the social system, ecosystem capacity for ecosystem-based adaptation implementation is not limiting. • The local community will be most challenged for activating deep leverage points. • Combinations of NCA co-production actions and leverage points open windows of opportunities for adaptation. Ecosystems support the adaptation of societies to global changes through their contributions to people's quality of life. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) implementation remains a challenge and will require changes of practices, structures and processes underpinning human and nature interactions, also considered as co-production of nature's contributions to adaptation (NCA). We analysed the levers required to implement EBA to reach a future desired by stakeholders of a mountain social-ecological system in the French Alps. Using a participatory backcasting scenario approach and a serious game, local stakeholders were invited to design a desired vision for their region in 2040 and reflect on strategies and levers for reaching it. We analysed co-production actions required to achieve adaptation objectives aligned with the vision. We then assessed how local communities can leverage these actions to navigate a desired adaptation pathway. EBA and landscape multifunctionality are critical to achieve stakeholders' vision. EBA require substantial adjustments, transformations, or new co-production actions, but natural capital was not a limiting factor for adaptation. Synergies among multiple co-production actions create windows of opportunity for local communities to achieve their vision through the combination of social levers. However, most powerful levers, like collaborative decision-making or common strategy design, appeared the most difficult to activate. EBA is mainly constrained here by social barriers reflecting the lack of collaboration and communication among stakeholders. Recognizing potential contributions of ecosystems to adaptation by maintaining and developing NCA supply can help communities to re-structure and re-think their local social-ecological system to achieve desired and sustainable pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anhand einer qualitativen Studie wird das Thema „Forschung in der Osteopathie" beleuchtet. Aufbauend auf die wissenschaftliche Bewertung osteopathischer Verfahren durch die Bundesärztekammer erfolgt eine Reflexion von Wissenschaft und von A.T. Stills Osteopathie. Die empirische Studie umfasst eine systematische Datenerhebung, basierend auf den vier Büchern von Still [ 1 ], sowie eine phänomenologische Datenerhebung anhand von sechs leitfadengestützten Interviews in deutscher und englischer Sprache. Die befragten Expertinnen und Experten kommen aus Deutschland, Großbritannien, Österreich und den USA. In diesem Rahmen wird erforscht, welches Verständnis des Begriffs „Wissenschaft" und welche Forschung für die Osteopathie geeignet ist. Die Auswertung der transkribierten Interviews erfolgt mithilfe des Datenverarbeitungsprogramms MAXQDA [ 4 ] anhand der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Gläser u. Laudel [ 2 ]. Für die Osteopathie schlagen die Autoren ein transdisziplinäres Wissenschaftsverständnis vor. Explizit sollen hierbei alle Bereiche, also Natur-, Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften inklusive der Philosophie berücksichtigt werden. On the basis of a qualitative study, the topic research in osteopathy is investigated. Based on the scientific evaluation of osteopathic procedures by the „Bundesärztekammer" (German Medical Association), a reflection of science and of A.T. Stills Osteopathy is conducted. The empirical study includes a systematic data collection based on Stills four books [ 1 ] as well as a phenomenological data collection based on six guided interviews in English and German. The experts interviewed are from Germany, Great Britain, Austria and the USA. Within this framework, research is conducted to determine the terminology of „science" and which research is appropriate for osteopathy. The evaluation of the transcribed interviews is done with the assistance of the data processing program MAXQDA [ 4 ] using the qualitative content analysis according to Gläser & Laudel [ 2 ]. For Osteopathy, the authors propose a transdisciplinary understanding of science. Explicitly to be included shall be all fields, i. e., natural sciences, social sciences and humanities including philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing ToCs requires time and effort at the cognitive, emotional and social level. • Initial reservations about ToCs is followed by recognition and appreciation. • ToCs facilitate strategic long-term planning and monitoring of IDR and TDR. • ToCs are living products and support reflection and learning about change processes. • Program leaders assume a service and a science role in leading ToC processes. Theory of Change (ToC) has been promoted as a useful tool in sustainability research for visioning, planning, communication, monitoring, evaluation and learning. It involves a mapping of steps towards a desired long-term goal supplemented with continuous reflection on how and why change is expected to happen in a particular context. However, there is limited reported experience with the development and application of ToCs in inter- and transdisciplinary research contexts. While some previous publications have focused on ex-post application, there has been little discussion about the process of developing and using ToCs in strategic planning and monitoring in large inter- and transdisciplinary research programs. This article reports challenges and lessons learned from the experience of developing and using ToCs in the inter- and transdisciplinary research program Wings (W ater and sanitation i nnovations for n on- g rid s olutions). Challenges include (1) managing time constraints, (2) balancing between concrete and abstract discussions, (3) ensuring diversity in group composition, (4) fluctuating between reservations and appreciation, and (5) fulfilling both service and science roles while leading the ToC process. The experience highlights the importance of alternating formal and informal interaction formats throughout the process, ensuring heterogenous group formation, involving early career scientists, being responsive to emergent needs and making the added value of developing and using ToCs explicit and tangible for all participants. Although these lessons are mainly derived from developing ToCs within the interdisciplinary program team, they can support other programs in both their inter- and transdisciplinary research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, its psychological, emotional, and existential toll continues to grow and indeed may now rival the physical suffering caused by the illness. Patients, caregivers, and health-care workers are particularly at risk for trauma responses and would be well served by trauma-informed care practices to minimize both immediate and long-term psychological distress. Given the significant overlap between the core tenets of trauma-informed care and accepted guidelines for the provision of quality palliative care (PC), PC teams are particularly well poised to both incorporate such practices into routine care and to argue for their integration across health systems. We outline this intersection to highlight the uniquely powerful role PC teams can play to reduce the long-term psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Best-worst scaling (BWS) is a theory-driven choice experiment used for the prioritization of a finite number of options. Within the context of prioritization, BWS is also known as MaxDiff, BWS object case, and BWS Case 1. Now used in numerous fields, we conducted a transdisciplinary literature review of all published applications of BWS focused on prioritization to compare norms on the development, design, administration, analysis, and quality of BWS applications across fields. We identified 526 publications published before 2023 in the fields of health (n = 195), agriculture (n = 163), environment (n = 50), business (n = 50), linguistics (n = 24), transportation (n = 24), and other fields (n = 24). The application of BWS has been doubling every four years. BWS is applied globally with greatest frequency in North America (27.0%). Most studies had a clearly stated purpose (94.7%) that was empirical in nature (89.9%) with choices elicited in the present tense (90.9%). Apart from linguistics, most studies: applied at least one instrument development method (94.3%), used BWS to assess importance (63.1%), used 'most/least' anchors (85.7%), and conducted heterogeneity analysis (69.0%). Studies predominantly administered surveys online (58.0%) and infrequently included formal sample size calculations (2.9%). BWS designs in linguistics differed significantly from other fields regarding the average number of objects (p < 0.01), average number of tasks (p < 0.01), average number of objects per task (p = 0.03), and average number of tasks presented to participants (p < 0.01). On a 5-point scale, the average PREFS score was 3.0. This review reveals the growing application of BWS for prioritization and promises to foster new transdisciplinary avenues of inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Projects with more transdisciplinary principles in research design and implementation make more diverse contributions. • Projects employing more transdisciplinary elements can leverage more diverse mechanisms of change. • By leveraging diverse contributions and mechanisms, projects have greater potential influence across more impact pathways. • Theory of change and the Quality Assessment Framework are comprehensive and complementary tools for theory-based evaluation. More and more effective research is needed to help address complex sustainability problems. Many research approaches have adopted more transdisciplinary characteristics as a way to improve effectiveness. However, empirical evidence of the extent to which and how transdisciplinary research design and implementation contribute to (more) effective scientific and social outcomes remains limited. This paper reports a comparative analysis of five research-for-development projects implemented in Peru and Indonesia to: characterize the extent to which projects employed transdisciplinary principles; assess the extent to which and how intended project outcomes were achieved; analyze the relationship between transdisciplinary research approaches and outcomes; and provide lessons from the experience of using a theory-based approach to evaluate a set of case studies. Our analysis demonstrates that the projects employing more transdisciplinary principles in their design and implementation make more diverse contributions and have a greater breadth of influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Awareness concerning sustainable groundwater consumption under the context of land use and climate change is gaining traction, raising the bar for adequate understanding of the complexities of natural and anthropogenic processes and how they affect groundwater quality. The heterogeneous characteristics of aquifers have hampered comprehensive source, transport and contaminant identification. As questions remain about the behavior and prediction of well-known groundwater contaminants, new concerns around emerging contaminants are on the increase. This review highlights some of the key contaminants that originate from anthropogenic activities, organized based on land use categories namely agricultural, urban and industrial. It further highlights the extensive overlap, in terms of both provenance as well as contaminant type, between the different land use sectors. A selection of case studies from literature that describe the continued concern of established contaminants, as well as new and emerging compounds, are presented to illustrate the many qualitative threats to global groundwater resources. In some cases, the risk of groundwater contamination lacks adequate gravity, while in others the underlying physical and societal processes are not fully understood and activities may commence without adequately considering potential impacts. In the agricultural context, the historic and current application of fertilizers and plant protectants, use of veterinary pharmaceuticals and hormones, strives to safeguard the growing food demands. In the context of a sprawling urban environment, waste, human pharmaceuticals, and urban pesticide outputs are increasing, with adequate runoff and sanitation infrastructure often lagging. Finally, industrial activities are associated with accidental leaks and spills, while the large-scale storage of industrial byproducts has led to legacy contaminants such as those stemming from raw mineral extraction. With this review paper, we aim to underscore the need for transdisciplinary research, along with transboundary communication, using sound science and adaptive policy and management practice in order to procure sustainable groundwater quality. Unlabelled Image • A review of anthropogenic impacts on groundwater quality is presented. • Groundwater contamination risks accompany all types of human land use activities. • Major groundwater contaminants of modern relevance are detailed. • Case studies displaying diverse global contamination issues are highlighted. • The importance of transdisciplinary groundwater management is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that graduates of higher education institutions will be the future decision makers addressing sustainability challenges, this study assesses the effects of a transdisciplinary university learning program on sustainability attitudes, skills, and agency. We investigated these variables with a sample of 117 previous participants in the International Training Course on Organic Agriculture, which took place in Uganda. To frame the analysis, concepts of sustainability learning and transformative learning were transferred into a research instrument, building on the Graduate Study Cooperative survey, the Transformative Learning Survey, and the Environmental Attitudes Inventory. The findings showed that the training course provided a transformative experience that positively predicted 1) environmental attitudes; 2) professional and personal competencies at graduation; 3) the feeling of being able to personally influence sustainability and the perception that one's employer has an influence on sustainability. No significant relation between the transformative experience and engagement in voluntary work was found. While ex post facto studies based on self-reported perceptions have limitations, this is—to our knowledge—the first study to apply the Transformative Learning Survey combined with other instruments to a specific learning intervention. By showing that transformative university learning experiences can contribute to sustainability attitudes, skills, and agency, the findings support the case for transdisciplinary course designs rooted in real-world sustainability challenges. Further research will be necessary to firmly establish the sustainability learning potential of different educational designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Mediterranean region is anticipated to be (or, already is) one of the hot spots for climate change, where freshwater ecosystems are under threat from the effects of multiple stressors. Climate change is impacting natural resources and on the functioning of Ecosystem Services. The challenges about modelling climate change impact on water cycle in general and specifically on socio-economic dynamics of the society leads to an exponential amount of results that restrain interpretation and added value of forecasting at local level. One of the main challenges when dealing with climate change projections is the quantification of uncertainties. Modellers might have limited information or understanding from local river catchment management practices and from other disciplines with relevant insights on socio-economic and environmental complex relationship between biosphere and human based activities. Current General Circulation Models cannot fulfil the requirements of high spatial detail required for water management policy. This article reports an innovative transdisciplinary methodology to down scale Climate Change scenarii to river basin level with a special focus on the development of climate change narrative under SSP5-RCP8.5 combination called Myopic scenario and SSP1-RCP4.5 combination called Sustainable scenario. Local Stakeholder participative workshop in the Evrotas river basin provide perception of expected changes on water demand under to two developed scenario narratives. Graphical abstract Transdisciplinary methodological framework to downscale global regional climate change scenario to local river basin. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Impact of cliamte change of water resources management benefits from transdisicplinary methodology. • Downscaling of CC scenarii to river basin with participative workshops to enable better understanding compexity of IWRM. • Qualification and quantification of perceive changes requires extended work. • Transdisisplinary mentodology are challenging to develop and to implement, results are worht the effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Challenges today are complex and rapid innovations are required. We instruct a transdisciplinary undergraduate course where engineering, nursing, and pre-professional health students produce tangible innovative solutions to community health challenges using MakerSpace technologies. Students receive evidence-based ethics instruction as part of the course using the 8 Key Questions for improving ethical reasoning. Design thinking, an empathy-based problem solving technique, was used to teach problem solving and provided context for instructing ethical reasoning. Objective The Objective of this research was to assess student ethical reasoning pre/post this course where students concurrently produce innovative products. Design/Participants Undergraduate students were assessed pre/post course for their perceptions of 1) the importance of, and 2) their confidence in their ability to ethically reason using a digital version of the Survey of Ethical Reasoning, an instrument previously tested in this population. Results Participants demonstrated a significant gain in their ethical reasoning confidence and maintained their high ranking of the importance of ethical reasoning concurrently to producing innovative products. Conclusions It is possible, with deliberate instruction, for transdisciplinary undergraduate students to develop ethical reasoning confidence concurrently to developing innovative products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recent years has seen an increase in collaboration between academics and artisans in the field of gastronomy. Accounts have been given both in research reports and elsewhere, often as recurring stories framed as best-practice examples or stories of success and innovation. In the work herein, we have sought to study the conditions, possibilities, and limitations of such collaborations in depth. Theoretically, the work is framed in various forms of disciplinarity (inter-, multi- and transdisciplinarity), seeking to shed light on collaboration between, or across, disciplines and professions. The empirical material consists of answers received from 43 food professionals from Finland (9), Norway (8), Spain (15), USA (11), to an online survey concerning their views of interaction/collaboration between chefs and researchers, i.e., gastronomy and sciences. The study follows a mixed-methods design in data collection and analysis, featuring both quantitative survey data and written accounts. The results indicate that the chefs, most of which already have experience with such collaboration, are knowledge-oriented, innovation-oriented, and expressly positive to cross-discipline/cross-profession collaboration. Furthermore, they believe that both chefs and researchers may benefit from such collaboration, and the majority believe they would personally be able to contribute to the work of researchers. Lack of time and resources are stated as main obstacles, but not unanimously. Other barriers to collaboration are getting in touch with researchers, disruption in a hectic and high-paced workday, and domain-specific language/discourse. The results are discussed in relation to modes of collaboration across and between disciplines as well as existing research on science and gastronomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • There are a myriad of definitions for STEAM and the "Arts". • Educators generally agree that STEAM enhances creativity and thinking skills. • Creativity is rarely, if ever, measured or assessed as part of STEAM education. • Educators often overlook the creative process for the final product. • There remains confusion about arts integration pedagogies. Abstract This integrative review examines 44 published articles (empirical, descriptive, and pedagogical frameworks) on the topic of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) education from 2007 to 2018. Despite the emergence of STEAM as a popular pedagogical approach for enhancing students' creativity, problem-solving skills, and interest in STEM fields, the definitions and purposes of STEAM education remain ubiquitous. Therefore, the review examined descriptions of the overall purpose of STEAM education, definitions of the STEAM acronym and the 'A' in STEAM, creativity as a learning outcome, elements of arts education, and arts education learning outcomes. The review found a myriad of definitions of the STEAM concept in general, a variety of interpretations for the "A" in STEAM, and an overall lack of reported learning outcomes in the areas of creativity, problem-solving, and arts education. The articles also differentiate in methods for merging STEAM disciplines, described in one of five ways: transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary, cross-disciplinary, and arts-integration. Recommendations are provided to advance both research and practice in STEAM education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space science and engineering courses are part of the core curriculum at many universities, but increasingly, schools are beginning to offer courses on economic, policy, and other social science aspects of space activity. These courses can provide context for students; helping them to understand the environment in which programmatic and technical decisions are made. They can also act as a concrete method for understanding core social science concepts from economics, international affairs, and other fields. Interviews with individuals teaching such courses show that these courses tend to address multiple disciplinary perspectives, and in many cases, these courses take a problem-focused approach, using social science theories and methods to understand real-world challenges and identify potential solutions. Many also emphasize student engagement and participation. These characteristics align with a transdisciplinary approach to teaching, and this article examines how space courses can be situated within this context. An examination of course goals and teaching methods provides insight into the range of approaches that instructors use to organize and run these courses and how these efforts relate to theories on transdisciplinary teaching more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic and humanitarian interventions deployed to address migrant death in US southwestern border states have become increasingly prevalent over the past four decades. In this paper we address two persistent issues specific to the Texas-Mexico border context. First, we present the first comprehensive geospatial analysis of migrant deaths in South Texas, establishing a twelve-year (2009–2020) mortality profile. And second, we introduce the concept of necrosilences and its implications to both forensic and humanitarian work and usage of geospatial tools. We applied ANOVA, spatial statistics, and cluster analysis to test the relationships of migrant mortality point locations throughout South Texas, an area comprised of ten counties with some of the highest reported migrant deaths in the state. Our findings demonstrated that unidentified human remains that corresponded to migrants were found most consistently in jurisdictions inland from the Mexican border. Further, the map visualizations highlighted vast areas seemingly devoid of migrant deaths. These "empty" areas are emblematic of necrosilences. That is, instances where there is a lack of access or accounting rather than no death incidences. We conclude by discussing the importance of visualizing necrosilences. • Significant mortality clustering was detected both in summer and winter months. • Significant clustering occurred more on private property inland from the border. • Mortality clustering occurred between or away from Border Patrol structure. • Necrosilences indicate areas with lacking or absent mortality accounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bio-structures have been optimized by nature to possess remarkable resiliency and strength yet retain a light-weight composition. The hierarchical geometrical arrangements that are prevalent in bio-structures, coupled with heterogeneous constituents, present uncertainty as to what dictates the structural response. Although computational mechanics experiments give an overall distribution of stresses in the structural system, the underlying details of the stress flow patterns in the structure are hard to identify. This paper discusses the development of software that integrates the results from computational mechanics experiments with advanced mathematical algorithms to capture the stress distribution in a bio-structure subjected to an external load. A fundamental issue addressed in this work is the procedure used to prepare data in appropriate format for the seamless transition from finite element binary database files to an abstract mathematical domain. The robust, platform-independent procedure developed for this transdisciplinary strategy efficiently handles the large datasets produced by the high performance computational mechanics experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how tourism scholars view interdisciplinary research. Data were collected from 356 tourism scholars globally. Results reveal confusion and disagreement among tourism scholars regarding how interdisciplinary research has been defined. Strong attachment to the tourism field and feeling comfortable and familiar with commonly used methodologies provide barriers to interdisciplinary research. Moreover, results suggest that tourism scholars should establish and work in research clusters with scholars from other disciplines to facilitate interdisciplinary research. This is one of the first studies offering research findings and discussion aiming to improve understanding of tourism as an interdisciplinary field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Increasing accessibility of coral reefs from the latter third of the 20th century led quickly to recognition of the vulnerability of coral reef communities to a combination of direct and indirect human impacts. Coral reefs are confronted by the stark threats of climate and ocean changes from the increasing number, intensity and forms of human use impacting global and marine systems. Management, particularly of accessible coral reefs, occurs in the context of multiple scale transboundary water column linkages of lifecycle processes and increasing human use of coastal and marine space. Four decades of experience have demonstrated the combined importance of biophysical and socio-economic sciences and sharing knowledge with communities for developing implementing effective management. In the face of environmental and socio-economic change the challenge for science and management is to develop knowledge and management responses that can better understand and increase resilience to improve he outlook for coral reef communities. Highlights • Coral reef experience illustrates broader challenge of managing marine biodiversity. • Adaptive management cycle for maximising resilience of coral reef communities • Trans-boundary challenges of managing within protected area boundaries • International multi-disciplinary network support for research and management • Reconciling social, economic and environmental objectives for coral reefs areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation has brought a number of challenges to the fore, particularly those problems which require collaboration, innovation and capability development between nations. There are some complex issues piquing the attention of researchers with respect to sustainable development, such as, waste management, climate change, and access to amenities, housing or education. Non-Governmental Organisations, Institutions, governments and others working in the field of international development have been grappling with these difficulties for decades. However, it is becoming apparent that many of these difficulties require multifaceted solutions, particularly in Low and Middle Income countries (LMIC) where it is difficult to consolidate gains and fund schemes. Development work can sometimes be disjointed and inefficient, impairing the capability of local communities and inhibiting sustainable and innovative approaches. Transdisciplinary collaboration is reliably a more efficient way of tackling some of the most pertinacious challenges. This paper presents findings from a transdisciplinary research project focussed on developing resources and capacity for the construction of affordable homes in a low income community in Nigeria. The project explored the suitability of using upcycled materials such as plastic bottles and agricultural waste in construction. Using a user-centred, co-creation methodology, a team of experts from the UK and Nigeria worked with local entrepreneurs to build a prototype home. The study explores the functionality of the home and the sustainability of project. The findings demonstrate the benefits of tackling global challenges from a transdisciplinary perspective. This has implications for researchers focused on developing technical solutions for low-income communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor air quality remains a major environmental and health risk in Europe, despite improvements over the last few decades. Consistent exceedances of the nitrogen dioxide air quality limit values at a roadside monitoring station in Potsdam, owing to heavy local and commuter individual motorized traffic, prompted the city administration to implement a trial traffic measure aimed at reducing motorized traffic to improve air quality. This study analysed data (n = 3553) from a questionnaire carried out prior to the implementation of the trial traffic measure. This research provides a case-study to contribute to the understanding of general determinants of air quality perceptions, and policy-relevant information regarding how citizens perceive air quality in the context of a ‘hard’ policy measure. A subset of variables was used to build an ordinal logistic regression model to assess the explanatory power for air quality perceptions. Gender, perceived health status, level of concern for air quality, level of concern for climate change, and the desire for greater access to information regarding air quality were factors found to be significant in their explanatory power of perceptions of air quality. The results are discussed in the broader policy context of attempts to improve air quality in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful Food-energy-water (FEW) nexus projects will be more likely to succeed if a transdisciplinary approach is used. Ecological modernization (ecological technology) policies and practices, and sustainable supply chains influence the FEW nexus from a commerce and industry perspective. Taking these perspectives and considering their intertwined linkages is important for advancing research and adoption of FEW nexus efforts. This paper provides an overview of these perspectives and interlinkages. A biosolids case study is used to exemplify the complexities and interactions of these four thematic perspectives: the FEW nexus, transdisciplinarity, ecological modernization, and sustainable supply chains. An integrative multi-level analysis scheme is used to analyze interrelationships. This analysis and the case study help to identify a series of research opportunities to further this nascent field. Research opportunities include methodological developments, attitudinal and social concerns, performance indicator systems, and meta-social evolutions in technology and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an overarching goal of addressing global and regional sustainability challenges, Long Term Socio-Ecological Research Platforms (LTSER) aim to conduct place-based research, to collect and synthesize both environmental and socio-economic data, and to involve a broader stakeholder pool to set the research agenda. To date there have been few studies examining the output from LTSER platforms. In this study we enquire if the socio-ecological research from 25 self-selected LTSER platforms of the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network has produced research products which fulfil the aims and ambitions of the paradigm shift from ecological to socio-ecological research envisaged at the turn of the century. In total we assessed 4983 publically available publications, of which 1112 were deemed relevant to the socio-ecological objectives of the platform. A series of 22 questions were scored for each publication, assessing relevance of responses in terms of the disciplinary focus of research, consideration of human health and well-being, degree of stakeholder engagement, and other relevant variables. The results reflected the diverse origins of the individual platforms and revealed a wide range in foci, temporal periods and quantity of output from participating platforms, supporting the premise that there is a growing trend in socio-ecological research at long-term monitoring platforms. Our review highlights the challenges of realizing the top-down goal to harmonize international network activities and objectives and the need for bottom-up, self-definition for research platforms. This provides support for increasing the consistency of LTSER research while preserving the diversity of regional experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban health scholars explore the connection between the urban space and health through ontological perspectives that are shaped by their disciplinary traditions. Without explicit recognition of the different approaches, there are barriers to collaboration. This paper maps the terrain of the urban health scholarship to identify key urban health research traditions; and to articulate the main features distinguishing these different traditions. We apply a meta-narrative review guided by a bibliometric co-citation network analysis to the body of research on urban health retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Five urban health research traditions were identified: (1) sustainable urban development , (2) urban ecosystem services , (3) urban resilience , (4) healthy urban planning , and (5) urban green spaces. Each research tradition has a different conceptual and thematic perspective to addressing urban health. These include perspectives on the scale of the urban health issue of interest, and on the conceptualisation of the urban context and health. Additionally, we developed a framework to allow for better differentiation between the differing research traditions based on (1) perspectives of the urban system as complicated or complex, (2) the preferred locus of change as a function of structure and agency and (3) the geographic scale of the urban health issue that is addressed. These dimensions have even deeper implications for transdisciplinary collaboration as they are underpinned by paradigmatic differences, rather than disciplinary differences. We conclude that it is essential for urban health researchers to reflect on the different urban health approaches and seek coherence by understanding their similarities and differences. Such endeavours are required to produce and interpret transdisciplinary knowledge for the goal of improving health by transforming urban systems. • Co-citation analysis of research publications shows five distinct urban health research traditions. • The scholarship of urban health is siloed with few scholars spanning boundaries. • Each research tradition has a different ontological perspective to urban health. • Articulating distinctiveness of approaches may foster transdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global impact of pollution on human and wildlife health is a growing concern. The health impacts of pollution are significant and far-reaching yet poorly understood as no one field of research has the practices and methodologies required to encapsulate the diversity of these consequences. This paper advocates that interdisciplinary research is essential to comprehend the full extent of the impact of pollution. Medical and ecological research play a key role in investigating the health consequences of the pollution crisis, yet the wildlife experience is often neglected. This paper outlines how applying advanced techniques and expertise adapted in medical research to wildlife exposed to pollutants offers a unique perspective to understanding the full diversity of impacts to health. The challenges that impede the progress of this research include the lack of support for interdisciplinary research among funding streams, limitations in field-specific techniques, and a lack of communication between researchers from different disciplines. Of awarded funding from major national research councils across Australia, Europe, and the United States of America, only 0.5% is dedicated to pollution focused research. This is inclusive of laboratory equipment, mitigation strategies, quantification of environmental samples and health consequences research. Of that, 0.03% of funding is awarded to explaining the wildlife experience and documenting the health consequences observed despite being model organisms to environmentally and biologically relevant models for pollution exposure. This calls for a coordinated effort to overcome these hurdles and to promote interdisciplinary research in order to fully comprehend the consequences of pollution exposure and protect the health of humans, wildlife, and the environment. An interdisciplinary approach to this problem is timely given the magnitude of negative health consequences associated with exposure, the number of pollutants already present within the environment and the continual development of new compounds. [Display omitted] • Pollution is a global experiment on the biome, including wildlife health • Both medical and ecological research are vital to documenting the pollution crisis • 0.03% of funding is dedicated to wildlife health research focused on pollution • Dedicated interdisciplinary funding will help overcome barriers to collaboration • There's no 'model organism' for studying pollutants within medical research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronounced environmental gradients of tropical mountains result in interconnected social-ecological systems of great cultural and biological diversity and high provision of essential ecosystem services. This intrinsic diversity of mountain social-ecological systems (MtSES) entails great complexity which, coupled with remoteness, vulnerability, and lack of fine-scale data, hampers the adequate planning of transitions towards sustainability and affects the livelihoods of their inhabitants. Based on our experience in a tropical MtSES, here we propose a framework for participatory scenario planning (PSP) that supports local stakeholders to create plausible development pathways while harmonizing top-down planning instruments and securing the provision of ecosystem services (ES). Our framework comprises: (1) screening the study area to understand historical land cover changes and development pathways based on current planning instruments and local knowledge, (2) gathering future visions from MtSES inhabitants based on their wishes, perceived drivers of change, and key ecosystems services, (3) creating a land-cover map using satellite imagery, (4) establishing a baseline with on-field data collection, (5) writing narratives that harmonize those visions with planning instruments and translating them into spatially explicit future scenarios, (6) estimating ecosystems services in each scenario, and (7) refining future scenario narratives by facilitating a dialog where farmers, researchers, and stakeholders discuss contrasting scenario results and their perceived potential impacts. Our PSP framework raises awareness among local stakeholders about land cover changes and their impacts, while generating fine-scale data that is usually lacking for MtSES. Both aspects are important for updating planning instruments and policies in a participatory way taking into account the complexity of each particular MtSES as well as people's perceptions about the future. Our study adds to the existing literature on PSP as it provides a case study in a Andean tropical MtSES. Since each MtSES is unique, we hope this practical example can inspire planning policy schemes to include bottom-up approaches. • The intrinsic complexity of mountain social-ecological systems in the tropics challenges governmental planning schemes. • Participatory scenario planning paves the way toward transdisciplinary and transitions towards sustainability. • Agroforestry allows reconciling food production and conservation of biodiversity in the Colombian Andes. • Integrating scientific and local knowledge helps to embrace the complexity of tropical mountain social-ecological systems and bottom-up governance at the local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to learn from each other plays a central role in successful transdisciplinary (TD) collaboration. This article systematically investigates how learning to collaborate allows researchers and practitioners to navigate the challenges of collaborative TD work. Drawing on social learning theory, we emphasise the processual nature of social learning in TD research as learning to collaborate. We examine collaborative learning processes in three Living Labs located in different socio-cultural and institutional contexts in Europe. The Living Labs explored the conditions for mutually beneficial rural-urban relations. We use data from a systematic monitoring of a 4-year Horizon 2020 research project. Our analysis illustrates how learning in and through collaboration can enhance individual and collective capacities to deal with different perspectives, priorities, and approaches, enabling the achievement of transformative objectives. We also show how particular factors and conditions lead to differing learning histories and a lack of attention to learning processes may result in challenges to collaboration. This provides a more encompassing understanding of the complex learning dynamics underpinning TD research. We argue that an intentional focus on collaborative learning processes is essential to fulfil the aspiration of TD research to contribute to creating knowledge and capacities for the co-production of sustainable futures. • Social learning in TD research is essential for generating knowledge and building capacities to co-create sustainable futures. • Operationalisation of the collaborative epistemic living space concept; empirical investigation of social learning. • Learning in and through collaboration can enhance capacities to cope with differences and enable transformative outcomes. • Social dimension catalyses learning processes, while epistemic and symbolic dimensions are the most challenging to navigate. • Professional facilitation fosters safe spaces and helps teams to rebalance power dynamics and work through disagreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysed 50 cases of knowledge co-production for decision-making under uncertainty. • Synthesised strategies to design inclusive decision processes with robust outcomes. • Provided recommendations for decision co-production's challenges and opportunities. Decision-making under uncertainty is important for managing human-natural systems in a changing world. A major source of uncertainty is linked to the multi-actor settings of decisions with poorly understood values, complex relationships, and conflicting management approaches. Despite general agreement across disciplines on co-producing knowledge for viable and inclusive outcomes in a multi-actor context, there is still limited conceptual clarity and no systematic understanding on what co-production means in decision-making under uncertainty and how it can be approached. Here, we use content analysis and clustering to systematically analyse 50 decision-making cases with multiple time and spatial scales across 26 countries and in 9 different sectors in the last decade to serve two aims. The first is to synthesise the key recurring strategies that underpin high quality decision co-production across many cases of diverse features. The second is to identify important deficits and opportunities to leverage existing strategies towards flourishing co-production in support of decision-making. We find that four general strategies emerge centred around: promoting innovation for robust and equitable decisions; broadening the span of co-production across interacting systems; fostering social learning and inclusive participation; and improving pathways to impact. Additionally, five key areas that should be addressed to improve decision co-production are identified in relation to: participation diversity; collaborative action; power relationships; governance inclusivity; and transformative change. Characterising the emergent strategies and their key areas for improvement can help guide future works towards more pluralistic and integrated science and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gold lifeways encompass gold resources as relational phenomena. • Lived experience gives expression to the precariousness of small-scale gold mining. • Different contexts and dynamics shape miners' perspectives on sustainability. • For small-scale miners, sustainability relates to how gold lifeways persist. • Sustainability transformations are unlikely to emerge from existing dynamics. Small-scale gold mining sustains millions of people's lives and yet it stimulates environmental harms and social conflicts. Global environmental crises drive calls for fundamental change to how people live on the planet. For small-scale gold mining, this raises questions about whether current dynamics can provide a basis for sustainability transformations. Proposing the notion of gold lifeways to focus on the lived experience of mining and gold resources as relational phenomena, we ask what sustainability looks like from different miners' perspectives and probe the practice dynamics of current transformation. Our methodology is social science-led and transdisciplinary. From multi-sited and trans-regional research between South America and Africa, we draw cases from Suriname, Guinea Conakry, and Uganda. Our study finds that gold lifeways give expression to different strands of sustainability: sustaining everyday life in mining; discourses framing mining practices; and government repression of mining. Hence, as our empirical data demonstrates, miner perspectives on sustainability gain content not in isolation, but as part of gold lifeways embedded within different contexts and shaped by societal dynamics. Ultimately, the transformative potency of small-scale gold mining is located in personal lives and precarious dynamics rather than glittering promises of a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forced migration is not a recent phenomenon, nor is the reality of the amount suffering of the displaced population fleeing from armed conflict. Finding housing for refugees has not only become an acute obligation for hosting countries but it is a situation predicted to continue, and possibly increase, in the future. This study is discussing and showing the results of the first phase of an ongoing project for designing and constructing an eco-cycle refugee shelter. The project discussed how an environmentally low impact shelter could be provided that pays respect to social norms, religious beliefs and cultural traditions of refugees. The study is applying a transdisciplinary participatory methodology using an occupant centred approach. It is looking at current post-conflict housing issues in hosting countries with a focus on Syrian refugees in Sweden, and it depicts a phase of the project where a foundation for subsequent phases – including constructing a physical house prototype through involving refugees in a construction training – was laid. The project aims at fulfilling refugees’ needs and involve them in the design and construction process as well as raising the awareness of a cost efficient and climate responsive way of building back better in the refugee’s home country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the ambitious educational programmes and global collecting practices of 19th century industrial arts museums as case studies, this article analyses the role of design in shaping the future. The article examines the historical dynamics behind the construction of futures knowledge and futures expertise on the one hand, and current futures construction within design museum collections on the other. It tests strategic drivers and trends for the imagination and design of futures in the museum within the context of wider debates about the value of museums as sites of transdisciplinary practical learning. In this way the article also considers how cultural value is articulated through changing concepts of time and temporality embodied in material form. The final section examines the potential for social agency and activism within the design museum to foster critical reflection on the methods by which social institutions signal and shape directions of change. The article finds that in providing tools for the sharing as well as shaping of visions of the future, wider debates about the designed object in the museum have much to contribute to futures agency and literacy across disciplinary and professional boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustaining functional ecosystems that provide services for human well-being is a global challenge. This makes valuing ecosystem services and managing them important to ensure benefits to the environment and livelihoods. Strides have been made in research and knowledge development, policy formulation and the implementation of natural resource management (NRM) programs and investment into ecological (green) infrastructure globally. However, further funding is needed for such programs to be scaled up and adapted to local contexts. Horizon scanning is a useful approach to identify future trajectories, and to guide research, policy formulation and management implementation, as well as to identify gaps. Past achievements, gaps and future needs in relation to “optimising and unlocking investment in ecological infrastructure and valuing ecosystem services” were identified through a free listing questionnaire and a group workshopping exercise by 44 participants involved in an international workshop. The 10 key needs raised were all closely interlinked and fall under the overarching themes of research and assessment, policy formation and implementation, strategic planning as well as management and governance of the policy/adaptive management cycle. We discuss the need to overcome these gaps in the context of South Africa and in relation to other countries globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the Participatory Framework for Assessment and Improvement of Tools (ParFAIT) as a way to address low uptake of Water Resources Systems Optimization (WRSO) tools. ParFAIT is a transdisciplinary process conducted in five stages, two of which are participatory modeling (PM) exercises. Herein we describe the framework, introduce our candidate tool- Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA)-assisted optimization, and present the results of our first PM workshop. MOEA-assisted optimization has been put forth as a planning and decision making aid for utilities facing a large number of decisions and highly uncertain futures. The PM workshop, designed to solicit input on a tool testbed, was held in February 2015 with representatives from six Front Range, Colorado, water utilities. Our results include an expanded characterization of the decision making landscape, feedback on water utility decisions and performance goals commonly employed in WRSO studies, and new questions that warrant future investigation by researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are substantial challenges facing humanity in the water and related sectors and purposeful integration of the disciplines, connected sectors and interest groups is now perceived as essential to address them. This article describes and uses bibliometric analysis techniques to provide quantitative insights into the general landscape of Integrated Water Resource Assessment and Modelling (IWAM) research over the last 45 years. Keywords, terms in titles, abstracts and the full texts are used to distinguish the 13,239 IWAM articles in journals and other non-grey literature. We identify the major journals publishing IWAM research, influential authors through citation counts, as well as the distribution and strength of source countries. Fruitfully, we find that the growth in numbers of such publications has continued to accelerate, and attention to both the biophysical and socioeconomic aspects has also been growing. On the other hand, our analysis strongly indicates that the former continue to dominate, partly by embracing integration with other biophysical sectors related to water – environment, groundwater, ecology, climate change and agriculture. In the social sciences the integration is occurring predominantly through economics, with the others, including law, policy and stakeholder participation, much diminished in comparison. We find there has been increasing attention to management and decision support systems, but a much weaker focus on uncertainty, a pervasive concern whose criticalities must be identified and managed for improving decision making. It would seem that interdisciplinary science still has a long way to go before crucial integration with the non-economic social sciences and uncertainty considerations are achieved more routinely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]